Remnants of a Hero
by FadedLaughter
Summary: Taking place in the future, this is a story about how a certain tragedy shall shatter the life Izuku has worked so hard to build up. Also this contains spoilers from the manga.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 _"It's YOUR fault Izuku turned out quirkless! In this day and age being quirkless is unheard of ! When this gets out I won't be able to face anyone out of shame !"_

 _"What are you talking about?! Izuku just had his dreams shatter and you're worried about what others will think of you? How could you even think of yourself at a time like this?"_

Izuku heard glass shatter following by a loud scream. Stiff with fear, he pulled the blanket tighter around himself and tried his best to muffle his sobs. Soon he heard the front door slam and the screaming die down. Waiting for his heart to calm down a bit, he got down from his bed and gently opened the door to his room to peak out. Not wanting to make a lot of noise, he slowly went toward the living room. Seeing his mother, curled up on the floor, crying while trying to stop the bleeding on her forehead turned his blood cold. He quickly ran up to her and pressed his little hands into the towel she was holding over her wound. His tears flowing unchecked as the only thing going through his mind was to help his mother stop the bleeding…. _'Oh God there's so much blood…..'_

Midoriya Inko looked into her son's eyes and felt her heart shatter the second time that day. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve any of this. Wrapping her hands around him she pulled him close and whispered, "I'm sorry Izuku….I'm sorry".

Izuku could hear the vulnerability in his mother's voice. He had never seen her break down so completely. She had always been his pillar of strength, his _hero_ on the rare occasions when his father actually came home for a change, drunk and taking his rage out on him when she was not home. She would console him, treat his wounds and then they would watch videos of Izuku's favourite hero All Might until he fell asleep.

That night, as he lay in his mother's arms, four year old Izuku made a silent vow to himself. Even if he was quirkless, he WILL become a hero someday – a hero whose mere presence will always put a smile on people's faces. He would NEVER EVER let someone cry if he could help it. 

* * *

_~ 25 years later ~_

"Daddy! Daddy! Mommy and I saw you on TV again! You were so cool!" screamed three year old Toshi Midoriya as he ran up to his father as soon as he stepped over the threshold. He was immediately picked up in his father's arms and spun around till he was a giggling mess.

"Izuku! He just had his dinner. Put him down before he pukes it all up".

Izuku Midoriya stopped spinning his son around as he turned to face the source of the stern voice. Putting Toshi down, he wrapped his arms around the speaker's waist and kissed her.

"I'm back."

"Welcome home, Izuku", sighed Ochako as she returned the embrace.

* * *

It's been 13 years since the fight between his idol All Might and All For One which forced All Might to retire after his true form was revealed to the public and the flame of One For All all but extinguished.

 _"You're next"_

Izuku had taken his idol's words to heart. All Might was not just an idol to him anymore. He was a mentor, a father-figure…he was _family_.

He could not pinpoint the exact moment people began to call Hero Deku the New Symbol of Peace. Whispers of it began after his debut, considering how similar his power was to All Might. But the turning point was probably when he was able to crush the Villain Alliance, capturing most of the key villains like Toga Himiko, Dabi, Twice and Kurogiri. Shigaraki had however managed to escape. After this monumental feat he had been hailed as the New Symbol of Peace everywhere he went.

Even after 3 years, his new title still managed to embarrass him. He was nowhere near living up to the title. But he used it as a means to push himself forward, to make himself worthy of the title…to make himself worthy of being All Might's successor.

* * *

"How was your day, Toshi?" asked Izuku as he sat down on the soft, exhausted after his raid of a villain stronghold in the neighboring city.

Toshi, a bundle of energy…seriously _where do kids get so much energy from_ …began jumping up and down on the sofa beside his father as he excitedly recounted his day.

"Uncle Katsuki took me to the amusement park today! We rode on the huuuuuuge roller coaster three times…THREE TIMES! He got a bit dizzy after the third time though so we went to the haunted house next! I wasn't scared at all dad !"

"Hahahaha looks like you gave Kacchan a run for his money huh", laughed Izuku as he imagined his childhood friend forcing himself to ride the roller coaster three times. Kacchan wasn't afraid of many things but he was never very good with roller coasters.

Izuku still remembered the day Toshi was born. Almost all of their friends had been present in the hospital, waiting anxiously as Ochako went into labour for seven hours. With every passing second Izuku became a nervous wreck and only the constant presence of his friends gave him the courage to not break down completely. When they could finally see Ochako and Toshi, Izuku had almost fainted from relief. His friends crowded around Toshi and began cooing over how cute he was. He had Izuku's curly green hair but his eyes were just like his mother's. He was surprised even Kacchan made time out of his busy schedule to come even though he had complained a lot to Kirishima that he was too busy frying villains to make it. While he kept a respectable distance from all his former classmates who had, for the time being, forgotten all human language just to talk to Toshi in baby language, he was the first one to visit them when Ochako had recovered enough to come back to their apartment. Izuku couldn't believe his eyes when Kacchan had turned up on his doorstep, his hands filled with various packages which turned out to be toys, baby clothes and, believe it or not, ten packets of diapers.

"If you open your mouth Deku I swear I'm going to pulverize you right here, right now", warned Bakugou. After threatening to kill him for the billionth time since they were kids, he proceeded to where Ochako was trying her best to calm down a crying Toshi. Putting down the packages he suinted at Toshi in Ochako's arms with his usual frown on his face.

"Huh…I couldn't get a proper look at him that day because of all those other worthless pieces of shit but he really looks like Deku, doesn't he. I didn't think he'd have the balls to actually go and beat me to having a brat first."

"Tsk! Language Bakugo!" admonished Ochako as she made an attempt to cover Toshi's ears while trying to stop him from crying. "Would you like to hold him?"

Both Izuku and Bakugou froze at the suggestion. If he hadn't been shocked by the image of Bakugo holding a kid he would have laughed at the sheer panic on his face at that moment.

"Come on no need to be so scared. He won't bite", teased Ochako as she gently placed Toshi in Bakugou's arms.

Sometimes Izuku wondered in awe at how much of a badass his wife was…teasing Kacchan…was not something he wanted to risk ever doing. He'd take on ten Nomus anyday before that. He could see a change in Bakugou's demeanor as he held Toshi. He was careful, almost to the point of being gentle.

 _'Hmm gentle Kacchan…why does that seem so alien to me?'_

"Make sure you keep his head like this….and his body like this…yes, you're doing great Bakugo! Now rock him gently…yes that's it! Just like that…" Ochako continued to instruct a bewildered Bakugo as he slowly got the hang of it and then, to everyone's astonishment, Toshi stopped crying and looked up at Bakugo with his big brown eyes. Bakugo grew nervous. He had never had such big innocent eyes look at him like that…it was nerve-wrecking for some reason. Not that he was going to admit it. Slowly Toshi raised his hand to feel Bakugo's hair. After petting it for a few seconds he started laughing and made a move to climb onto Bakugo's shoulders.

"Whoa whoa whoa hold it right there! What the fu…freak do you think you're doing?! Get back down here!" cried a startled Bakugo and he shot a helpless glance at Ochako who was too busy laughing to notice it.

 _"Toshi…you're the bravest person I have ever seen !"_ thought Izuku as he immediately moved to remove Toshi who had already moved onto Bakugo's face to reach his hair better.

Izuku was surprised at how close Bakugo and Toshi got over the next few years. He had never imagined Bakugo to be good with kids but he was proved wrong. Bakugo spoiled Toshi like crazy, always getting him gifts, playing with him and he even caught him watching The Little Mermaid with Toshi once… _though he would take that knowledge with him to the grave lest Kacchan found out that he knew and god knows what he would to to him then._

After gushing about all the rides he went on and all the ice-cream he managed to eat before getting a brain freeze, Toshi could finally feel the exhaustion of his day out and went to sleep on Izuku's lap. Izuku strokes his son's hair as he sighed in content. Ochako came to sit beside him and handed him a cup of tea.

"He waited up way past his bedtime just to tell you about his day", whispered Ochako lest she woke Toshi up. "I had some work with my agency so I was really glad when Katsuki came by today. He said he was getting bored of his vacation which his agency forced him to take so he decided to take Toshi out instead."

"He's really out like a light. I'm glad Kacchan was able to keep him company today. With the increase in our hero duties, I don't really like dropping him off at the day care centre. While I'm glad he seems to have a lot of friends I can't help but worry about not being able to spend more time with him."

Ochako shifted closer to Izuku and put her head on his shoulders. Izuku immediately shifted a little to make it more comfortable for her. Putting her arms around him she whispered into his ears, "It's something you can't avoid being the number one hero now, can you, _Hero Deku_."

Izuku felt a shiver run down his spine as his face turned beet red. "I told you not to call me t-that", he stammered.

Laughing merrily she kissed him and picked up Toshi. "I'm going to go tuck him in bed. Don't stay up too late reading the Hero News again, Hero Deku."

"Geez, she's a force to be reckoned with", sighed Izuku as he opened his laptop to go over the Hero News. His eyes fell on the calendar next to him. Toshi's birthday was coming up next month. He would be turning four now. However his quirk was yet to materialize. Izuku ignored the nagging worry at the back of his head.

 _"It's YOUR fault Izuku turned out quirkless! In this day and age being quirkless is unheard of ! When this gets out I won't be able to face anyone out of shame !"_

He closed his eyes. No. He wouldn't be like his father. Even if Toshi didn't have a quirk, he would do his all to support his son. He would never let him feel crushed or defeated. He'll be his _hero_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Izuku was faced with a great dilemma. What would his soon-to-be four year old son like for his birthday gift? Adjusting his sunglasses and pulling up his muffler till his nose he scanned the toy section of the biggest toy store in the city only to be faced with aisles and aisles of _Hero Deku_ merchandise.

 _'Oh God, this is so embarrassing! I can't believe I am actually seeing so many merchandise of me. Whoa! They even have a figurine with my first ever costume! How did they find that out? I only wore it just that one time in All Might's first lesson! These are pretty detailed as well. Oh wow there are even some figurines of Iida, Ochako and Kacchan. Todoroki's got quite an impressive number of merch these are so cool! Maybe I should buy one for each of them? No no no no no wait what am I doing? They probably have some samples anyway. I know Ochako has quite a few stored in the closet. But…but…what would Toshi like? He already knows everyone in person. When I was four I was ecstatic with my All Might toys but…ah maybe I should get him a new backpack? His current one is worn out a bit and it's a practical gift as well….ughhhh no I can get him a backpack anytime! It has to be something special. What should I do, what shou…"_

"If you don't shut you goddamn muttering right now Deku I swear I will punch you in the face, you fucking nerd," hissed Bakugo, appearing behind Izuku.

Startled, Izuku clamped his hands on his mouth and looked around. Some people were giving him weird looks. _'Oh god I really need to stop muttering out loud'_ thought Izuku as he blushed crimson.

"W-what are you doing here, Kacchan?" asked Izuku as he took in his childhood friend glaring daggers at him.

"Out on patrol."

"In a toy store?"

"You got a problem with that you fucking nerd?"

"No!"

Bakugo continued glaring at him but it did not intimidate Izuku as much as it had before. Bakugo had lost the venom in his insults long back. That however did not mean that Izuku was still comfortable being under his intense glare. Childhood instincts die hard.

"Ummmm K-kacchan, if you don't mind me asking, what do you think Toshi will like for his birthday present? I'm having a really hard time deciding on anything…"stammered Izuku as he peeped up at Bakugo.

"Huuuuh? Why are you asking me? You're his goddamn father! Shouldn't you know best?"

"Well yes but….I'm really out of ideas here, Kacchan."

"Well fuck if I care! My present is going to be the best anyway. Try beating what I have in mind, nerd", shouted Bakugo as he turned around and strolled down the aisle leaving Izuku more confused than ever.

"Did he come here to buy Toshi's gift?" he wondered. A smile lit up his face at the thought. _Kacchan sure has changed a lot._

* * *

Time flew by in an instant. While both Izuku and Ochako's hero duties made it impossible for them to look after Toshi all the time, the little boy didn't mind. He idolized both of them and was ecstatic to hear stories from them about their encounters with villains. He always wondered when his quirk will manifest. He'll train hard and become a hero in no time. Then he'll accompany his parents and help them in their fights! They'll be just like Uncle Tenya's Team Idaten. That would be super cool! His birthday was coming up soon and he was excited about spending the whole day with Uncle Katsuki, Uncle Tenya and Uncle Todoroki who had promised to visit him that day. Uncle Kaminari and Kirishima were away on another assignment and so was Aunt Tsuyu, Yaomomo, Jirou, Mina and Hagakure. It had always been his dream to fight villains with his parents and a sudden idea struck his mind. He quickly went to get his notebook from his bag and started humming happily as he put his idea into action.

 _'Mom and dad are going to be so happy'_ , he thought as his joy burst forth and his brows knit in concentration.

When Izuku came home that day from patrol he saw Toshi hunched over something and singing away the theme song to his favourite anime. "I'm back", announced Izuku.

He was surprised when Toshi suddenly froze up and then after a second gathered all his materials and stuffed them inside his bag.

"Toshi? What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"It's nothing dad!" cried out Toshi, immediately regretting the panic in his voice. His dad will surely catch on to that!

Coming closer Izuku crouched down and looked at his son. "Is something the matter Toshi? Can't you tell father?"

Toshi averted his eyes. His dad might be 29 but those puppy dog eyes sure were unfair! If he looked into them he'll sure spill the beans. "It's a secret. You'll find out soon but you must promise not to ask anything before that", he whispered.

Izuku looked a his son, the desperation clear in his demeanor. Sighing, he picked Toshi up and hugged him. "Alright. If you don't want me to ask, then I won't." He felt him visibly relax in his hold. If keeping the secret meant so much to his son then he would not interfere.

"Oh right Toshi, your mom couldn't call you because it was kind of a short notice but she'll be going to Tokyo to help in a rescue operation. That earthquake last night sure was big and it looks like things are quite messed up there. I don't think I'll be able to take everyday off till she comes back so do you think you'll be alright staying home alone a bit? Your grandmom wanted to come by and keep you company but her health is getting worse day by day and I don't want her to push herself too much."

Toshi struggled a bit in Izuku's arms and when he put him down, Toshi put out his chest and gave Izuku a big smile. "Don't worry dad! I'm old enough to stay alone. You can count on me!"

Izuku couldn't me more proud of his little boy. Ruffling his hair he said, "I'll be counting on you then big boy. Now who wants to hear about the new villain I fought today?"

"I do! I do!" shouted an excited Toshi, grasping his dad's hand.

* * *

 _Ring ring, ring ring.  
_  
Izuku was immediately alert and looked at the clock. 2:51am. He picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Midoriya-kun! Get down to the Police Force immediately! There's been a breakout."

The panic in the voice of Iida Tenya sent Izuku rushing to put on his hero costume. Waking up Toshi he whispered, "Toshi, something grave has happened. I don't know when I'll be coming back home. Go to sleep and don't panic if I'm late. Ok?" Saying this he rushed out and activated Full Cowl to reach the Police Force as fast as possible.

What he saw upon reaching made his blood run cold. The police quarter was up in flames and the pro heroes who had already gathered were doing their best to rescue the people still stuck in the burning building while some were trying to douse the flames. He managed to quickly spot Iida who was busy shouting above all the mayhem and directing everyone to a safer place.

"Iida-kun! Are there any more people inside the building?" asked Izuku as he began helping out the panicked civilians.

"No. I believe they managed to get everyone out before the fire got too big. However the…" Iida paused, looking around. "Maybe not the right time to go into details. First let's calm things down here and then gather more information."

After spending the next few hours frantically making sure everyone was not grievously injured, Izuku found himself along with Iida, Todoroki, Bakugo (both of whom had arrived immediately after Izuku)and the other pro heroes in a makeshift office opposite Detective Tsukauchi who looked both tired and worn out, but determined.

"What I am about to tell you is confidential information. We are keeping this a secret from the media because if this gets out people will start panicking. I hope I have all of your full cooperation in this matter", said Tsukauchi as he looked up at the pro-heroes.

Bakugo grit his teeth in an attempt not to shout. "Get over this useless chatter and tell us already goddamit!"

Iida sent him a withering gaze. Tsukauchi sighed.

"The League of Villains, namely, Kurogiri, Dabi, Toga Himiko and Twice, have escaped."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello everyone ! I'm just a newbie writer with little experience in writing so I hope you will all forgive me from the short chapters. I actually wanted to make this a oneshot but somehow...when I started typing, it just got longer and longer...hahahaha. I want to thank Pyrokinetic52 and TheOneHoyle for leaving a review. It really boosts my confidence ^_^ I hope you all keep on enjoying the story. I don't have a fixed schedule of uploading but hopefully there won't be more than a week gap between each chapter.

Again thank you everyone who added the story to their favourites or followed it. I hope to do justice to the story.

Author signing out.


	3. Chapter 3

_~2 days ago~_

"Sensei, if you could have contacted me this way then why did you wait so long to do so?!" cried an irate Shigaraki, scratching his neck till the skin gave way to trails of blood as he answered the voice inside his head.

 _"I was merely testing you…and you have disappointed me, to say the least, Tomura Shigaraki. I left the Villain Alliance in your hands thinking that perhaps you have grown enough to take care of it. But it seems I have overestimated you. After your comrades were captured, I waited for you to make a move. But it looks like you were too busy saving your own skin to care about them rotting away in prison." **  
**_ **  
**All For One's words cut Shigaraki deep. He wanted to vehemently deny these claims. He had tried his hardest, but his plans were always, _ALWAYS_ being thwarted by that insolent hypocritical **_hero_**. The capture of four of the most important members of the Alliance had severely affected the recruitment of potential new members. No one trusted the Villain Alliance anymore under Shigaraki. It was so frustrating, changing locations every few weeks, working under the radar. Seeing _his_ face on news channels and newspapers did nothing to improve his mood. His obnoxious smile as he went about thrusting his title of the New Symbol of Peace drove Shigaraki into violent uncontrollable anger. However it was true that the League had crumpled under his leadership. There was no way he could avoid the responsibility for that.

All For One took in Shigaraki's silence thoughtfully. _Hmmm_ _maybe there is some hope after all._

 _"There is something I want you to know so listen carefully. Two days from now, a massive fire will erupt in this place. Before all the villains can be transferred to safety, Kurogiri, Toga, Daki and Twice shall escape using the ensuing confusion to their advantage. All of them shall assemble at point SFH 86. I shall be leaving the rest to your hands. Consider this your last chance to redeem yourself."_

It took a while for Shigaraki to process All For One's words. "Huh? Sensei…if it was this easy for someone to get out of prison then why haven't you escaped yet? You could have broken out years ago!" screamed Shigaraki.

 _"Patience, Shigaraki Tomura. You lack the most important quality needed to be an outstanding villain. Patience. I had merely concluded that my presence would hinder your growth. So I decided to remove myself from your side. That aside, staying under your enemy's vigilance can be quite rewarding. The amount of information I have gathered shall be of vital importance to you."_

All For One's calm tone did nothing to alleviate Shigaraki's anger and frustration. He thought the difference in power between him and his sensei had diminished a little bit over the years. It was at this moment that he realized how insignificant he was compared to All For One.

Ignoring his sudden insecurity, he enquired about the most nagging question which popped in his mind, "So, how are you going to pull off this escape, Sensei?"

He could hear All For One give an amused chuckle. _"Now my dear pupil, do you really think I have been in power so long without making some important connections at all the important places? Don't worry your little head over the details and focus on the big picture. Like I told you a few moments ago, this is your last chance. Do not disappoint me again."_

"I won't, Sensei. I know exactly what I have to do for now." He could feel All For One's thoughts leaving his mind. He glanced at the television in front of him. The reporter was in the midst of a battle while the cameraman was trying his best to capture live footage of the fight unraveling before him amongst the cheering civilians.

 _"Once again Hero Deku has successfully captured the villain in no time at all. What immense power!"_ A huge cheer erupts at Hero Deku leaves the villain immobile and escorts him into the police van waiting by the side. _"That's the New Symbol of Peace for you! With him watching over us, no villain stands a chance. The crowd is going crazy over him. Look! He's smiling! Ohhh I want his autogra…ahem, I mean, Mr. Deku! Could you give us a comment? Hey stop pushing me…Hero Deku!"_

Shigaraki switched off the television. Soon…soon he'll wipe off that obnoxious smile from his face.

* * *

 _~A day after the prison breakout~_

"Izuku, are you sure you can handle everything by yourself? I really should head back. The rescue operations are going smoothly but…"

"It's alright Ochako! You're indispensable in rescue operations. You quirk makes it so much easier to lift heavy rubble and who knows how many people might still be trapped. Don't worry about things here. Toshi has been a very obedient boy and I've decided to drop him off at mom's place till we get things sorted out here", said Izuku as he tried to assure a very flustered Ochako. While the media reports had mainly written off the fire at the Police Headquarters as a freak accident, only a few were in the know about the truth. An emergency team consisting of Izuku, Bakugo, Todoroki, Iida and a few other pro-heroes had been dispensed immediately to track the escaped convicts. However no clue had yet been found of their whereabouts.

"Well…alright but Izuku…please be careful and don't try to handle everything by yourself like you usually do. Please rely on the others as well", said Ochako as she tried to suppress her growing worry.

Izuku smiled. He was always touched by Ochako's concern for him. His habit of meddling into troublesome business had not changed a bit since his childhood and he knew Ochako was worried half to death because of it. "I won't. Promise. I love you", he whispered. He wasn't very good at expressing his emotions in words so he hoped that she could hear how much he meant those words in his voice.

Ochako breathed a sigh. "Love you too. Take care of Toshi. I'll see you in a week." The call disconnected. The carefree smile on Izuku's face fell as soon as he put away his cellphone. Fourteen hours had already passed since the jailbreak. With the help of Kurogiri's quirk, the villains could be anywhere. Police forces were already dispatched to the known locations of their hideout but they wouldn't be stupid enough to go back to the ones whose location was already compromised.

 _'Moreover…how did they manage to escape? The prison has a pretty good security. How could they have managed to set fire to the place and plan their escape while being confined to the cell? Unless…they had help from the inside. Officer Tsukauchi has already launched a full internal investigation keeping that possibility in mind. But…if that is the case then why only those four? I would have expected All For One to escape as well. But he didn't. Did he plan all this? But…how? Are the ones who escaped meeting up with Shiagaraki? That would be the most likely scenario. Why did they wait so long for this? Does that mean that they're planning to launch an attack soon? What could…'_

"DEKU! Quit your fucking yammering already!" shouted Bakugo as he landed a kick on Izuku's back.

"Ouch! Kacchan! Stop going around kicking people already!" cried Izuku as he tried to ignore the pain in his back. Kacchan never really did pull the punches. That kick would leave a bad bruise.

"Mr. Deku!" called Officer Sansa as he approached Izuku. "We would like you to scout this area next." He handed him a map. "The task force which will be accompanying you is ready to move any moment. As for Mr. Bakugo," Sansa turned towards a moody Bakugo, "Could you please go to the south-east location? Your accompanying task force is ready to be dispatched any second as well."

"Haaaah they better be able to keep up with me cuz I ain't gonna be slowing down for them to catch up," said Bakugo as he stormed away without a second glance.

Izuku looked at the map in his hand. He would be going to the north-east part of town. Each of the pro-heroes were being given specific locations to scout out along with a small group of police officers to control the situation if they did manage to come face to face with the villains. He clenched the map in his hand. _What was Shigaraki planning this time?_

* * *

"You're late", droned an irate Shigaraki.

"Hey! You try escaping from prison with the heroes hot on your trail. Those shitbags were crawling around all over the place", answered Dabi emerging from the portal.

"Tomura-channnnnn! I've missed you!" squealed the second person to come out.

"Keep your hands and your knives to yourself if you don't want to turn to dust, Himiko-chan," warned Twice as he grabbed Toga's uniform to stop her from hugging Shigaraki.

"I'm sorry for the wait, Shigaraki Tomura. My quirk is quite weakened so I couldn't open long distance portals to come here straight after escaping," said Kurogiri as his form finally emerged.

Shigaraki looked at them. Besides looking a little worn out, it did not look like they had received any bodily harm of any kind. _Hmph…of course the heroes would never do that. Only villains torture people, don't they? That very attitude of the heroes will be their downfall._ "Well, now that the whole party is here, shall we get started?"

Dabi arched a brow. "I hope your current plan is better than your last one. Prison food sucked."

Shigaraki smiled and all of them shivered at the unsettling expression in his face. It was as if the temperature had dropped twenty degrees. "For now, we only need to focus on one thing," he said as he turned around.

"Killing _Hero Deku_."

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow I didn't think I'd be done with this chapter already. I wanted it to be a bit longer but this just felt like the perfect place to end the chapter.  
Thank you everyone who has started following my story. Also those who left a review and those who included this in their favourites...thank you sooo much. It really makes me happy from the bottom of my heart having so many people read the story and like it.  
Do leave a review. I really want to know how you all feel about the story and the reviews make me feel closer to all of my readers.

 _FadedLaughter signing out._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Midoriya Inko looked at her grandson hunching over a piece of paper, colour pencils scattered all around him. Sometimes he reminded her so much of her own son. She recalled how young Izuku used to sit in front of the television every day after dinner, his notebook in hand as he jotted down information on all kinds of heroes in his shaky handwriting, eyes big and sparkling in excitement.

"Toshi-chan," she called out to her grandson as she approached him slowly. Toshi immediately hid his work and looked up.

"What is it gran'ma?"

"What have you been working on for such a long time?" enquired Inko.

Toshi's face lit up and Inko was struck again at how similar he was to Izuku. Those big expressive eyes, that unguarded smile…her heart filled with warmth. Smiling he replied in a singsong manner, " ~It's a secret~. I'm going to show this to everyone on my birthday. You'll have to wait till then too gran'ma!"

Midoriya Inko couldn't help but smile at the little boy's enthusiasm. She loved having him around close. Izuku had moved out after his marriage and Inko had been a little lonely. He had been her pillar of strength for such a long time that his absence was heightened by how silent the house was. It's not like Izuku didn't contact her at all or anything. He would visit time to time with Ochako and Toshi. However, those few precious moments of fun and laughter would not last too long. And the silence following their visit was sometimes too painful for her to bear. He called her quite frequently too but she knew he left out the dangerous parts of his hero duties so as not to worry her. Everyday she would switch on the television and stay glued to the news channel. She was proud of her son's achievements but she could not help but worry about him.

When Izuku had arrived at her house first thing in the morning with Toshi, a suitcase in tow, she knew something was wrong. She could see the strain and tension in his face even though he tried his best to hide it. He didn't tell her all the details, just that he would be busy with work to return home for a few days and since Ochako was away he couldn't just leave Toshi all by himself.

Inko was more than happy to help. She wanted to help out her son, in any way she could, to lessen his burden a bit.

"Gran'ma, gran'ma!" Toshi's call broke her out of her reverie. "Can I go out and play?"

"Of course, dear. Just make sure you don't stray too far away from the park and be back by five positively," replied Inko.

"Haiiiiiiiiii~"droned an over-enthusiastic Toshi as he put on his Hero Deku hoodie and ran off with astonishing speed.

* * *

 _~ 2 weeks before Toshi's birthday ~  
Location: One of the Villain Alliance's many hideouts  
_  
"So…? What have you been doing slinking around while we were getting bored in prison?" asked Dabi as he leisurely sat on the sofa in their new hideout. "You weren't playing around on your stupid video games now, were you?" _  
_

"I don't have to explain myself to you," hissed Shigaraki, sending Dabi a withered glare. He could see him visibly tensing but he held back his tongue. Shigaraki continued, "After Sensei contacted me, I dropped a visit to those yakuza bastards. The Leader of the Eight Precepts of Death, Overhaul and the Villain Alliance share a common goal- to eliminate the new Symbol of Peace. Looks like that guy's perverted tendencies have finally caught hold of the hero's notice and he wishes to eliminate him before there is even a slight possibility of the heroes starting a rescue operation to save his girl."

"Can the yakuza even be trusted?" enquired Twice as he let Toga happily put crimson red nailpolish on his nails.

"Who said anything about trust? Just because we have a partnership for now doesn't mean we have to trust them. If they show even a hint of something fishy, eliminate them," answered Shigaraki, scratching his neck. "We'll be working with them to take out the immediate threat. Twice, Toga, Kurogiri – the three of you will be forming a team with Sakaki and Chronostasis from the Eight Precepts. You'll be our main offense. As soon as the work is done, you'll need to withdraw immediately. Dabi, you'll be with the rest of the Precepts. I'll give you the details of your part later. For now, we'll focus on polishing this plan."

* * *

"Deku! Deku! I saw you on TV yesterday! You were soooo cool!" cried the little boy holding Izuku's hand, his eyes wide and shining out of excitement and Izuku couldn't help but blush at the boy's obvious adoration. _Ahhhhh no matter how many years it's been I still can't get used to this!_

He smiled at the boy and patted his head. "Thank you for supporting me. I hope to help everyone in trouble to the best of my abilities" he said as he signed an autograph for the boy who went away, skipping in happiness.

An old lady waved at him. "Deku, haven't seen you in this part of town for a while…though I suppose that is a good thing hehehe. How have you been, my boy?"

"Ah obaa-san, I'm fine. How's your back? Did you go see the doctor I recommended? She's really good with healing. Personal experience," he chuckled.

"Of course I did dear. I'm as good as new," she replied, patting the hero's back.

Everywhere Izuku went, he was stopped almost every few minutes by people who would congratulate him on his work and even ask for advice sometimes. While it did make his patrolling a little bit difficult, he could never turn away from a single person. It was surprising how much information he could gather from just talking to people. However he had yet to hear about any rumours concerning the villains he was most worried about.

"Your popularity never fails to surprise me." Izuku heard a voice behind his back as soon as he was done giving his autograph the fiftieth time that day. "Or rather, it's not your popularity as a whole but the nature of your popularity."

"What do you mean, Todoroki?" as he tilted his head, looking at Todoroki questioningly.

"The popularity you have is unique to you. Heroes are popular, yes. The number one hero, of course, is bound to be the most popular. But the very essence is different from even the popularity All Might had in his prime years," answered Todoroki. "No matter how popular a hero is, there is always an invisible wall between them and the civilians. They look up to the heroes but they can't really connect with them. However that is not the case for you, Izu…Deku. You naturally draw in people. I suppose, to put it simply, you have a connection with them that is far above and beyond what any other hero has."

Izuku was left speechless. As his brain slowly processed Todoroki's words, he could feel his whole face burning. "Huh..wha-? Th-that's a b-I'm n-not really th-that special, Todoroki-kun! An-anyway! What are you doing here?"

"I finished up the search on my part of the town. Didn't have any luck. What about you?"

Izuku's shoulders dropped. "Same here. Nothing seems suspicious around this area. I even asked the locals but, they haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary either."

Todoroki sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Izuku's phone rang out all of a sudden startling them both. _Ah...forgot to put it on vibration mode again._ "Iida-kun? What's … I see. Yes I'll head back immediately. Todoroki's with me here so I'll pass on the messege. Yes…I'll see you in a bit." Todoroki saw Izuku's face pale a bit as he ended the call. Looking up he said, "That was Iida-kun. He said that the Police Force is currently being swarmed by newsreporters. Apparently the cat got out of the bag. We need to head back immediately"

Todoroki's eyes widened. This was already a big enough mess without the media hounding their every step from now.

 _'Who could have leaked the info? So is the traitor really in the Police Force? No, wait…that would be too much of an assumption. But…suspecting the whole Police Force won't do. After all even heroes have access…but….'_ Todoroki looked at Izuku, who was muttering away with his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration. The barely audible muttering somehow managed to calm down Todoroki.

"Deku, sorry to interrupt you but we really must get going," Todoroki said calmly as he put his hand on Izuku's shoulder.

"Ahhh sorry, Todoroki-kun. Let's go."

When he and Todoroki arrived at the Police Force, he could see reporters swarming the place as the officers tried their best to hold them back from entering the precinct. He found himself and Todoroki immediately surrounded by the reporters.

 _"Deku! Is it true that the League of Villains have escaped?"_

"Was the fire started by the villains?"

"Do you have any leads?"

"Shouto, will you be asking the Endeavour Hero agency for help?"

"What do you think the villains are planning"

"Is it true that the villains received help from inside?"

Izuku tried his best to maintain the smile on his face as he tried to placate the reporters who were almost shoving their microphones into his face. He could see Todoroki trying his best to maintain his cool as he tried to squeeze his way into the precinct muttering "No comment" at every passing microphone. As soon as they managed to get inside the precinct, they were ushered into Detective Tsukauchi's office. Detective Tsukauchi looked tired, the bags under his eyes apparent as he slowly rubbed his forehead. When he heard the door open, he lifted his face and sat up straight.

"Deku, Shouto I'm glad you came back soon. Iida stepped out for a bit to contact his agency and Bakugo should be here…"

He was interrupted as the door opened with a slam and a very irate Bakugo entered followed by Iida who was scolding Bakugo about opening the door like a brute.

"Shut your trap, Glasses. I have enough on my plate already so don't make me blow your face off."

"Detective, I sincerely apologize for Bakugo's behavior." Iida addressed Tsukauchi deciding that ignoring Bakugo would be best in this situation.

Tsukauchi waved his hand. "It's alright Iida. I have gathered you all here for a reason. The four of you had the most number of encounters with the League of Villains and you are Toshinori's most trusted students. As of now, I am being very careful about who I am going to trust with this operation. The news of the villains' escape was deliberately leaked to throw the Police Force into chaos. For now, all the people who are not in this room are under suspicion of being the informer. Since the leak did not occur immediately after the escape I feel like there is a reason why it has happened now. Deku, Todoroki, Bakugo, Iida, I'm trusting you to conduct your own individual investigations. If you come across anything suspicious, report to me immediately."

"Understood," replied Izuku, Todoroki and Iida instantly as Bakugo let out a barely audible _hmph_.

* * *

 _~ 2 days before Toshi's birthday ~_

Izuku returned to his mother's apartment at around 3:50am. Not wanting to disturb Toshi or his mother he quietly went into his old room and flopped down on the bed. Looking up at the ceiling he let out a sigh. Twelve days had gone by since his individual investigation started and he had yet to find anything concrete. It's like the Villain Alliance had completely wiped itself from existence. During this time, he had barely slept more than two hours, only returning home for a change of clothes once in a while. His own apartment felt very empty without Ochako's laughter and Toshi's excitement. So whenever he had the chance he would go to his mother's apartment instead. The day after tomorrow was Toshi's birthday and with the way things were going, he didn't think they would be able to celebrate it at all. Izuku felt guilty. He knew that being a hero meant sacrificing a lot of things but Toshi had been looking forward to his birthday for over a month now. _And he still hadn't been able to find a gift for him._ Just as he was about to drift to sleep, his eyes fell on his bookshelf. Slowly getting up, he opened the worn out notebook which had caught his eye and flipped over the pages. A wave of nostalgia hit him. That's when he knew. A smile spread on his face as he slowly closed the notebook. _He knew exactly what to get Toshi for his birthday._

A sudden knocking startled Izuku from his sleep. Huh? When did I fall asleep? He looked at the clock. 6:05am. A hesitant voice accompanied the knocking this time. "Izuku? Are you in there?"

"Y-yes mom. I'm coming right out," answered Izuku as he gathered up the things he had been working on before he fell asleep and hid them in a corner.

"I didn't realize when you came back, Izuku. Will you be having breakfast?" asked his mother as soon as he opened the door.

"Uhh actually I should have reported back to Detective Tsukauchi 5 minutes ago", replied Izuku sheepishly. He could see his mother's smile drop a bit before she recovered herself. "Of course, Izuku. I understand. Make sure to eat something soon though. You'll fall sick at this rate."

Izuku ignored the guilty feeling in his heart as he kissed his mother on the cheek. "I promise. Is Toshi awake?"

"Ah no he's out like a log. We watched some of your old All Might videos late into the night. I swear he's as hyper about All Might as you were when you were his age," smiled Inko.

"Oh that's too bad. I was hoping to get to see him a bit before I went back but I don't want to wake him. Well, anyway, I'm really late now so I'll see you later, mom. Take care!"

Midoriya Inko tried her best to quench the growing dread in her heart as she kissed her son goodbye. She didn't have a basis for it but it had taken hold of her heart ever since she found out that the League of Villains had escaped from prison. _"It's alright. Izuku is strong. He'll be alright."_ The words felt hollow even to her own ears. She wanted to believe in them…but something was holding her back.

* * *

 **A/N :** I could have posted this chapter long ago if my internet didn't go crazy on me. Oh well...here's the fourth chapter. I'm basically writing blind by this point. I have the ending planned but the middle portion is driving me nuts. Do leave a comment on how you think the story is going ^_^P

 _ **Some notes about the Eight Precepts of Death in case you haven't caught up to that part of the manga yet:**_

1\. Sakaki Deidoro- Quirk: Deidoro's Quirk inhibits one's sense of balance, as if one were drunk.

2\. Chronostasis- Quirk: His Quirk allows him to slow down the movements of anything he hits with his clock hand-like hair. However, he cannot extend his hair unless he is not moving.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 _~ 1 day before Toshi's birthday ~_

Izuku was out patrolling again after having given Detective Tsukauchi his report. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue with whisps of white cloud dotting the vast expanse. It was in stark contrast to his current mood, however. Worry and frustration had gripped him like a vice, with each passing day resulting in hardly any progress. It was around lunchtime when Izuku came across a small boy, crying in an alley. His knees were oozing blood and he had dirt all over his body. Izuku immediately went over to the boy and hunched over to come face to face with him. Slowly taking his hands which were covering his face, Izuku gave him a reassuring smile as he said in his most soothing voice, "Hello there. Don't cry. Would you tell me what's the matter?"

The boy slowly looked at him and his eyes widened in recognition. "Deku! Y-you're Hero Deku right?"

"That's me," he answered as he took out his handkerchief and wiped away the boy's tears. "Here let me treat your wounds first. It's not too deep but we better disinfect it."Izuku opened the small first aid kit he always carried around with him and took out some antiseptic and bandages. The boy grit his teeth in pain as Izuku applied the antiseptic after washing his wounds, muttering encouraging words while doing so. He put some bandages over the wound and patted the boy on his head. "You're a brave boy. Why were your crying? Did something happen?"

The boy stifled his sobs as he gripped Izuku's costume. "I w-was playing b-by myself in t-t-the park near my house…a-a-and M-Matssukun s-started bullying me again. H-He was chasing me and I j-just ran without l-looking where I was going." The boy looked up at Izuku with tear filled eyes. "I g-got lost."

Izuku gently hugged the boy and patted his back. He thought back to all the times he had run away from Kacchan and his group when he was a kid. _Ahhh those were some days, huh…_ Focusing his attention back to the sniffling kid, Izuku lifted him in his arms. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Haru…Haru Sinozaki"

"Alright Haru-kun, would you like me to accompany you home? Your parents are probably worried about you now. Do you know any landmark from where you can remember your way back home?" enquired Izuku.

"I only know the Musutafu National Park where I go play."

"Musutafu National Park? That's not far from my place. Alright let's go then."

* * *

"Gran'ma, you missed the balloons on the table! Here let me get them." Toshi was almost bursting with energy as he and Midoriya Inko started decorating the apartment with balloons and streamers. Toshi's birthday was only about nine hours away and the little boy couldn't sit still. He was a bundle of energy as he went about putting up balloons and helping his grandmother with the cooking. When they were almost done with the decorations, Toshi went to his room and took out the thing he had been working on for so long. Taking the piece of paper with him he placed it on the table upside down.

"Toshi, is that the surprise you want to show everyone?" asked Inko.

"Yes!" nodded the boy. "I'm going to show this to everyone when they come to my party!" Toshi then noticed the little bundle in his grandmother's hand. It looked a bit heavy and was wrapped in a gifting wrapper.

Seeing his eyes on it, Inko smiled at the boy. "This is a gift from your father. I noticed it was left on the table in his room. He left a note for me saying that if by any chance he could not make it in time for the party, you could open your present whenever you feel like it."

Toshi's smile faltered a bit. He knew there was a high possibility of his father and the other pro heroes not making it to his party with the recent fiasco but he tried to stay positive. There was no way his father would miss his birthday. He'll just win against the villains in no time like he always did and they'll have a wonderful time surrounded by Uncle Katsuki, Tosoroki, Iida and the others. His mother would be returning in the evening after completing her job and Toshi couldn't be more excited.

After the decorations were almost complete and the food mostly prepared, Toshi went out to play in the park with his friends. A familiar sight of messy curly green hair caught his eyes from the see-saw he was in and he immediately recognized his father. Just as he was about to shout out to him, he noticed the little boy who was being carried in his father's arms. The boy seemed to be pointing towards somewhere. Toshi got off the see-saw and apologizing to his friends, took off after his father, being careful not to be seen. This was his only chance to see his father while he was out during his hero business. While Toshi had always pleaded to accompany Izuku during his hero patrols, he was vehemently rejected on accounts of it being too dangerous for him. This was a golden opportunity he could not miss.

It was getting dark and Toshi tried his best not to lose sight of his father. He maintained a safe distance from him as he quietly followed the two.

* * *

It had almost been an hour since they passed the Musutafu National Park and the area was growing quite desolate. ' _Just how far does this boy live?'_ thought Izuku as he kept on walking with Haru in his arms. The boy himself had grown pretty quiet and was only pointing out the directions with his fingers. Every time Izuku tried to initiate a conversation, the boy would give minimum answer and then yawn out loud. _He must be pretty tired after having run all this way._

Buildings grew scarce the longer Izuku kept on walking yet Haru gave him no indication to stop. He soon came upon a big warehouse. It looked worn out and almost on the verge of breaking down. The colours were faded away and the roof was caved in at one end. Looking around he could hardly see any building in sight. Thinking that they had taken a wrong turn somewhere, Izuku was about to ask Haru when he felt a chill run down his spine. Turning around immediately, he shielded Haru with his body as he scanned the area. Nothing seemed amiss but his instinct told him to be wary. He was about to turn around to reassure Haru when he felt cold steel against his throat.

"Hehehehe Izuku babyyyyyy you're suchhhhh a sweethearttttttt," whispered the familiar sickly sweet voice right into his ears as he stiffened. "Thank you for coming all the way out here for us."

Izuku cursed mentally. "Himiko Toga…Let Haru go. He's got nothing to do with this."

"Haruuuuuu? Oh you mean this guy." Izuku's body grew cold as he saw Toga kick a bloodied body from behind him, right in front of his eyes. It turned into confusion when the body began to ooze out black liquid and then immediately evaporated in front of his eyes.

"Wha…oh," whispered Izuku as he immediately out two and two together. _Twice!_ What an utterly incredible moron Izuku was! He played right into the villains' trap! He needed to send out a distress signal somehow. But first…he needed to get out of Toga's grasp! Izuku did the first thing that came to his mind. He headbutted Toga.

Taking advantage of Toga's momentary confusion, Deku activated his Full Cowl to create as much distance as he could between him and Toga. Taking out his cellphone he immediately sent a distress signal. Hopefully backup would come soon.

"Asking your friends to come won't really help you, Deku."

A portal opened up next to him and Izuku barely managed to dodge the outstretched hand. From the portal, Shigaraki emerged, followed by two people he couldn't recognize.

"Let me introduce you to my new friends Izuku…oh excuse me, _Deku_ ," sneered Shigaraki. "This is Chronostasis and Sakaki. Would you like playing with us for a bit?"

Izuku had heard those names before. If he remembered correctly, they were a part of the exclusive group called the Eight Precepts of Death within the yakuza. Oh great, so now the Villain Alliance was working with the yakuza. This situation just kept on getting better and better. A knife hurled straight towards his face and Izuku swerved right to avoid it. But something was wrong. He couldn't focus on anything properly anymore. Even his movements felt sluggish and uncoordinated.

"Like my quirk boy?" Izuku looked at Sakaki, who was busy drinking some kind of alcohol. "It's going to throw you right off balance.

 _'The others don't seem to be affected by his quirk…does that mean it is a target specific one? Or am I just in his range?'_ He could see Toga and the others keeping their distance _. 'Probably the second one. I need to get out of this situation quick.'  
_  
Just as he was about to move, numerous small portal opened up around him and knives began to rain down from them on him. He managed to dodge the ones aimed for his vitals but quite a few impaled him on his arms and torso.

"You friends are too busy dealing with the distraction we have prepared for them in the city. They won't bother coming to your help anytime soon. After all, the lives of innocent bystanders are more important to them than one measly hero, right?" sneered Shigaraki.

 _'Looks like they've planned this out thoroughly. I can't continue being on the defensive like this.'_ Blood dripped from Izuku's injuries as he kept on trying to avoid the knives still raining down on him. His vision blurred from both the effect of Sakaki's quirk and his loss of blood. _'I know! I'll use Full Cowl to throw myself up into the air and then with another burst of Full Cowl from my legs I can create enough wind pressure to create some distance between us.'_

Izuku concentrated his power on his legs and kicked himself up in the air. Before he could throw in a second kick, something pierced his shoulder and time slowed down. Izuku crashed into the ground.

"I cut you with my hour hand, Deku. Now you're stuck here for one hour." Izuku tried to ignore the searing pain throughout his body to focus on Chronostasis walking toward him. He tried moving his body but it wouldn't respond to him anymore. Even if he could activate One for All, it's useless if he can't move his body anymore.

"Awwww is it over alreadyyyyy? I was having so much fun making my Izuku baby bleed," whined Toga as she skipped towards them.

"Stop whining Toga. We don't have all day. Go help out Dabi. Sakaki, Chronostasis, both of you as well." Shigaraki now approached them followed by Kurogiri.

"Fineeeeee…" sighed Toga. "It's sad we won't see each other again, Izuku baby. I'll miss you." Sakaki and Chronostasis went into the portal after Toga.

Only Shigaraki and Kurogiri remained standing in front of Izuku. "Hey, Kurogiri, remember when we first met this guy during the USJ incident?" asked Shigaraki as he knelt in front of Izuku. "I knew immediately that I didn't like this guy at all. Ever since that day he kept on getting in the way of my plans and even became All Might's successor. Now look at him. The new Symbol of Peace, brought down so easily. Ohhhh how the society's faith on the heroes will break when we kill him."

 _'No…NO! It can't end like this. Think! I have to think of something! I can't be afraid now! The Symbol of Peace is never daunted by evil. There has to be a way. All Might…Ochako…Toshi…!'_

"We can't waste any more time now, Shigaraki Tomura. Sensei is waiting," said Kurogiri.

"Yeah yeah I know. Let me just savour the moment a bit," said Shigaraki as he drew closer, his hand outstretched.

The last thing Izuku saw was the figure of a small boy with curly green hair jumping in between him and Shigaraki before an excruciating cry of pain filled the surroundings.

* * *

 **A/N:** I was supposed to finish the story in 5 chapters... _sigh_... oh well. It was supposed to be a oneshot in the first place. Things don't really go according to plan, do they? My college will be starting from tomorrow so I don't know when the last chapter will be up. But hopefully I'll have it done within a week.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Toshi hid behind a building as he looked on in horror at the events unfolding before him. His father had been surrounded by the villains. He was scared but he had faith in his father. He was the number one hero! He won't let these villains beat him. _No…why wasn't he getting up?!_ That villain with the weird hair pierced him. Did he paralyze his father by any chance? Three of the villains left soon after and only two remained. Toshi recognized them easily. He had seen their pictures on the television. He had even heard about his father's encounters with these villains when he was a student in UA. The frail, blue haired guy with the hands all over his body was Shigaraki and the black mist guy in the bartender uniform was Kurogiri. These guys were dangerous. They're a part of the League of Villains!

Toshi tried to be discreet and not draw attention to himself as he looked around. There was no one in sight to whom he could go ask for help. When he turned his attention back to the scene, his blood turned cold. Shigaraki was getting closer to his father, his hand outstretched.

 _NO! Father…!_

Before he knew it, his legs started moving on their own.

Things happened so quickly Izuku's brain was still trying to catch up. One moment he was on the ground with Shigaraki's hand almost in front of his face and the next second there was a little boy with familiar green curly hair knocking him out of the way.

 _TOSHI!_

Five fingers pressed themselves on Toshi's face and his cry reverberated throughout the area. Izuku's eyes widened as he saw his son's face begin to crumble right in front of his eyes. He heard another scream added to Toshi's and only later did he realize it was his own. _He_ _needed to rescue Toshi…He needed to get up!_ But no matter how much he tried, his body remained immobile.

Shigaraki removed his hand. "Tsk. Where did this kid come from?" he asked in annoyance. Izuku saw Toshi fall to the ground, his body limp, blood oozing from his disfigured face.

"Shigaraki…this kid…If I recognized him correctly…that's Toshi Midoriya." Kurogiri was interrupted as small explosions were heard in the distance and a scream echoed "DEKUUUUUU! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, YOU SHITTY NERD?"

"Toshi _Midoriya_? Hehhhh that's interesting," smirked Sigaraki. "Kurogiri, let's retreat for now. Teleport the others as well."

Kurogiri opened up a portal. "But…" Kurogiri turned to look back at Izuku who was lying on the ground, staring at his son's body silently. "What about Sensei's task?"

Shigaraki laughed and looked at Izuku. "A broken hero is better than a dead one." With those parting words, he stepped into the portal just as Bakugo, Todoroki and Iida arrived at the scene.

"Hey DEKU! What the fuck are you doing on the ground and why did you…" Bakugo's voice trailed off as he noticed the small figure on the ground in front of Izuku. It would have been hard for him to recognize the little boy from his face alone but his hair was a dead giveaway. Bakugo slowly approached him and picked him up. Iida and Todoroki stood frozen in their places.

"Iida, take Toshi to the hospital as fast as you can. Go…NOW!" growled Bakugo as he shifted Toshi to Iida's arms. Iida didn't waste a single second as he sped off with Toshi.

By this time, Todoroki had snapped out of his haze and he quickly went to Izuku. "Midoriya…" he gently shook him. No response. Midoriya couldn't see anything. He couldn't hear anything. His mind kept on replaying the last few seconds like a broken record player. _A flash of green hair. A sickening crumbling sound. The scream…oh god…the scream. Toshi…_

"It looks like he's unable to move. Might be because of some kind of quirk. Or maybe it's the shock. I don't know. But we need to get him to the hospital as well," Todoroki said as he looked at Bakugo.

Bakugo remained silent looking at the ground.

"Bakugo!"

Todoroki's shout finally managed to shake Bakugo out of his reverie and he silently helped Tosoroki pick up Izuku as they made their way to the hospital.

* * *

Izuku felt Sasaki's quirk lose its effect after an hour. Recovery Girl had visited him a few moments ago healing his injuries before scurrying away quickly to the emergency ward. He could feel the tension radiating off her. He was surrounded by whispers and quick glances at him. Detective Tsukauchi had paid him a visit as soon as he had arrived. Izuku mechanically related all the events that had transpired. His mind was clear but static filled his head. His mother had reached the hospital as soon as she heard the news. Todoroki was outside, consoling her as she let out a flood of tears. Guilt gripped Midoriya Inko like a vice. Izuku had left Toshi in her care. _If only she had not allowed him to go out to play…if only she had accompanied him…_ her list of regrets were never-ending.

Three hours passed.

The door to Izuku's room opened and he saw Recovery Girl enter. She was nowhere near young but it seemed as if the last few hours had aged her considerably. Izuku took one look at her and understood. Recovery Girl went up to him and held his hand in between hers. Squeezing them she uttered in a completely defeated voice, "I'm sorry."

Anger, sadness, frustration, guilt…Izuku was a pile of emotions. His mother hugged him tight as she kept on crying. But Izuku didn't shed a single tear. He sat on the bed, staring at the walls in front of him.

"Izuku…" whispered a new voice.

Izuku closed his eyes and turned his head away. He could not look at her right now. He didn't _deserve_ to look at her anymore.

"Izuku…please…look at me," the voice broke as it came closer to him. A pair of soft hands cupped his face. Fingers gently caressed his closed eyes as she wrapped her arms around him and said, "It wasn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up over this Izuku…please."

Izuku couldn't believe what he was hearing. Why was Ochako consoling him? Their son…What was he doing? He should be strong. He can't break down…not when Ochako needed him to be there for her as well. He knew she was probably blaming herself for what happened as well. He needed to snap out of it. His tangled up emotions can wait.

He finally focused on what was in front of him. Ochako looked like she was about to pass out. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Those sparkling brown eyes which had always given him courage and confidence before was now a muddy brown with no sparkle in them whatsoever. Bakugo and Iida were standing in the corner of the room not meeting anyone's eyes. Todoroki was in another corner, consoling his mother.

Focusing his attention back to Ochako, Izuku wrapped his arms around her. Ochako's whimpers and the tears which drenched his hospital gown felt like a well-deserved slap to him.

* * *

Later that night Izuku returned back to his mother's apartment to grab a change of clothes for his mother and Ochako who stayed behind in the hospital. As soon as Izuku opened the door, he found himself surrounded by balloons and streamers. _Oh right…today was Toshi's birthday…_ The hollow feeling inside his heart which he had suppressed for so long resurfaced. Izuku's eyes fell upon the huge pile of presents waiting to be unwrapped on the table. A large piece of paper placed right on top of the gifts caught his attention. Moving closer, he picked it up. It was a drawing made by Toshi – what he had been working on for so long. In the middle of the page there was a drawing of Izuku and Ochako in their hero costume…and in between them was Toshi, wearing a costume of his own, smiling proudly. All of them were holding hands and the words "Midoriya Hero Agency" was written in bold over their heads.

Izuku felt breathless. His heart was squeezing painfully and he curled himself on the floor, clutching the drawing in his hands as if his life depended on it. The tears which he had, till then, tried to suppress, now flowed freely without restraint. A cold numbness spread throughout his body. What kind of a hero was he if he couldn't even protect his son? The _Symbol of Peace?_ It all felt like a cruel joke to Izuku now. As a sob broke out, Izuku remembered something that All Might had told him on the day they first met.

 _"I smile to show the pressure of heroes and to trick the fear inside of me."_

Izuku was afraid…afraid of how transient life was. Never before had he felt loss this close to him. He was no hero. He had no right to be All Might's successor.

 _"I can't, All Might…I can't smile anymore like you,"_ whispered Izuku as the cold, quiet house bore witness to his statement amidst his broken sobs.

 **-The End-**

* * *

 **A/N:** Aaaaaaaaaand that's the end folks! Thank you for reading this story. Your comments and feedback really motivated me to complete the story without much delay. I do feel like I rushed a bit in some places but I would have lost touch with the story if I hadn't done that. Anyway thank you so much for going on this journey with me ^_^


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